Making Changes

Our lives are in constant motion, and change is happening all around us, nonstop. Not only is change happening around us, but change happens within us and within our lives, whether the change is caused by ourselves or someone else. Any change which you make in your life will either help you to pull yourself closer to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, or that change, your decision, will push you away from Him. Before you make a decision within your own life, you must first remember two things. First of all, we must remember Joshua’s explanation: 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for theLordyour Godiswith you wherever you go”(Joshua 1:9). Secondly, remember that God told us this: 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says theLord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.13 And you will seek Me and find Me,when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13). These verses remind us that God is with us, and we should not fear anything or anyone, but proceed cautiously and courageously. We are also reminded that God seeks the best for us, and that by looking for Him and praying to Him, we will find Him and He will listen. Considering these facts will allow you to approach your decisions in a different manner and attitude, and you will be more inclined to make the right choices through the help of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is a common problem faced by all people when it comes to making changes within one’s own life. This issue is that it may be difficult to make a change for the better-a change to come closer to God, and it is easier to fall into sin and turn away from God. Why is it so easy to fall but so hard to climb up?The reason is that our path, and our destination is upwards, towards God. As Christians we are following the narrow, difficult path in life. Jesus Christ Himself described the path to salvation for us perfectly, as He said 13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wideisthe gate and broadisthe way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.14 Becausenarrowisthe gate and difficultisthe way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). There are countless opportunities for us as humans to take a bad step and to fall, to travel on the broad path, while in order for us to be with God, we must travel along the narrow and difficult path, which is the only path leading to salvation. We must remember that even though most people follow the wide path, Jesus Christ wants us to follow Him, and to journey through the difficult path. The only way for us to become closer to Christ along the narrow path is to speak to Him, and to follow His commandments, and most of all, to pray to Him and ask for His help. It is never too late to make a change for the better, as even the right hand thief saw Christ in Paradise on that day. But we must also consider that it is never too early to change, and that we should not waste our time sinning while we can live for Christ. Jesus did not hesitate to forgive the woman who was a sinner, and He encouraged her to go her way and to live differently than she had before. In summary, when making changes or decisions in life, search to come closer to Jesus Christ, and do not forget His words: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”